Mine cable cutter with indicating device

ABSTRACT

1. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device comprising, a frame member, a combination anvil and hook member mounted on the frame in spaced, juxtaposed relation with one end of said frame, a cutter member movably mounted on said frame member and capable of movement in a line intersecting said combination anvil and hook member, means for forcibly driving said cutter member against said anvil upon the hooking of a mine cable, a buoyant indicating device so attached to said anvil as to be dislodged therefrom upon impact of said cutter member with said anvil when said cutter member is forcibly driven against the anvil.

States Patent [191 tinite White 51 Oct. 29, 1974 MINE CABLE CUTTER WITH INDICATING DEVICE [75] inventor: William B. White, Chevy Chase,

[22] Filed: June 26, 1956 [21] Appl. No.: 594,072

2,723,404 11/1955 Krantz 9/9 2,736,044 2/1956 Lewis 9/83 2,806,442 9/1957 Temple 89/l.0l X

Primary Examiner-Benjamin A. Borchelt Assistant Examiner-Thomas H. Webb Attorney, Agent, or Firm-R. S. Sciascia; Q. E. Hodges EXEMPLARY CLAIM 1. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device comprising, a frame member, a combination anvil and hook member mounted on the frame in spaced, juxtaposed relation with one end of said frame, a cutter member movably mounted on said frame member and capable of movement in a line intersecting said combination anvil and hook member, means for forcibly driving said cutter member against said anvil upon the hooking of a mine cable, a buoyant indicating device so attached to said anvil as to be dislodged therefrom upon impact of said cutter member with said anvil when said cutter member is forcibly driven against the anvil.

13 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures FIG. 2

PATENTED um 29 1914 3, 44, 4

INVENTOR.

WILL/AM B. WHITE ATTORNEYS MINE CABLE CUTTER WITH INDICATING DEVICE The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or for the Government of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

This invention relates to a combination mine cable cutter and indicating device, and more particularly relates to the combination of a towed mine cable cutter and a buoyant flare attached thereto, said flare being adapted to be released from said cutter when the cutter is actuated.

One device for indicating when a mine cable has been contacted consists primarily of means for amplifying the sound of the mine cable sliding down a sweep line. Another device by which it is possible to detect the hooking of a mine cable by a cable cutter consists of means for filtering out variations in sweep line tension caused by the action of the sea and thereby indicates contact with a mine cable by recording transient increase in tension. These methods and devices have a common disadvantage of rendering it difficult to separate the noises and actions of the sea upon the sweep line from the action of a mine mooring cable upon said same line. The aforementioned devices and methods have the further disadvantage of making it difficult to detect, in the dark, the presence of a free-floating mine whose anchor cable has been cut, thereby creating a hazard of floating mines to ships following the sweep vessel.

An object of the invention is to overcome the foregoing and other disadvantages of the prior art devices.

An additional object of the invention is to provide means to indicate the sweeping of a mine cable, said means being such that the sweeping of the cable cannot be confused with the action of the surrounding water or that of underwater debris on the sweep line and/or cable cutter.

A further object of the invention is to provide visible means to indicate that a towed cable cutter has been actuated thereby indicating either the cutting of a mine cable or the accidental actuation of said cutter.

Another object of the invention is to provide means visible in darkness to indicate the sweeping of a mine cable and the cutting thereof, thereby providing night warning means to following ships, of the cutting of said cable and the presence of a free-floating mine.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a cable cutter with signaling means that will be rendered operative only upon the actuation of the cutter.

In accordance with the invention, a buoyant hollow container of either metal or plastic, having a floodable chamber containing a chemical adapted to spontaneously ignite upon contact with both air and water, is affixed to an anvil member on a towed, underwater cable cutter by means of soldering, waterproof adhesive, or the like. An example of the flammable chemcial referred to is calcium phosphide. The cable cutter is provided with a cutting member adapted to be forcibly driven against the anvil to cut a mine cable, and after cutting said cable, strike the anvil with enough force to dislodge the buoyant container which will then rise to the surface of the water where the chemical contained therein will spontaneously ignite, thereby providing an indicator flare.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of this invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detailed description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view, partially broken away and in section, showing a cable cutter with a signal flare shown attached to the forward end thereof in accordance with this invention; and

FIG. 2 is a side view of the cable cutter looking from the left in FIG. 1.

Referrring now to the drawing, wherein like reference characters designate like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, there is shown in FIG. 1 an explosive type mine cable cutter 6 having attached to the forward end thereof a self-igniting flare 8. The flare 8 is divided by an imperforate wall 11 into a buoyancy chamber 13, and another chamber 15, the latter containing a material adapted to ignite upon contact with both water and air, as for example, calcium phosphide. The casing of the flare is provided with a number of holes 10 that communicate with the chamber 15 containing the self-ignitable chemical, so that air and water may reach said chemical once the flare reaches the surface of the water.

It is pointed out that the casing of the flare can be made of an inherently buoyant material, such as either wood or certain types of plastic, thereby eliminating the need for a buoyancy chamber, as is the case when metal is used in making said casing.

it is pointed out that the cable cutter 6 shown in the drawings is of the type disclosed in US. Pat. No. 2,422,506. The cutter comprises a frame 12 having slidably mounted, within an elongated passage provided therein, a cutter or chisel member 14 adapted to slide forwardly in the frame, said cutter being forcibly driven forwardly by an explosive cartridge 16 contained in a bore 17 at the rear of the cutter member passage. A mine cable catching member 18 is mounted at the forward end of the frame by means of a shear pin 20. The cable catching member 18 is provided with a hook portion 22 adapted to snag a mine cable 24 as the cutter tool 6 is towed through the water in a horizontal plane, on a sweep line, and an anvil portion 23. The mine cable 24 moves between the hook member and the frame thereby dislodging one end of a trigger-pin 26 from within a hole 28 provided in a spring-actuated, slidable rod 30.

Upon removal of the trigger-pin 26 from the hole 28 the rod 30 is forced rearwardly by a spring 32. The rearward movement of the rod causes rearward movement of a piston member 34 carried in a cylinder 35, by compression of water within said cylinder between the rear end of the rod and the forward end of the piston 34. The rearward movement of the piston 34 in turn causes rocking of an arm 36 about a pivot 38 provided in a breech block 40 attached to the frame 6. The

' rocking of arm 36 in turn causes forward movement of a firing pin 40 which in turn strikes the rear of cartridge 16 referred to above, thereby firing the same. The firing of cartridge 16 forcibly drives the cutter or chisel member 14 forwardly toward the anvil portion 23 thereby cutting a mine anchor cable which has been caught by the cutter tool. After cutting the cable, the forward end of the cutter member or chisel l4 strikes the anvil portion 23 causing the combination anvil and hook to be broken away from the frame by virtue of the fact that the shear pin is readily broken.

In accordance with the invention, the flare 8 is attached to the forward face of the anvil 23 by means of solder 9, in the case of a metal flare casing, or a waterproof adhesive in the case of either a wood or plastic casing. The amount of either solder or adhesive, as the case may be, that is used is such that when the chisel member 14 strikes the anvil, after cutting a cable 24, the flare will be dislodged, rise to the surface of the water and spontaneously ignite in a manner described above.

The buoyancy of the flare 8 is so adjusted that the flare will rise to the surface in the area near a freefloating mine whose cable has just been severed. Thus the burning flare, in the vicinity of a free-floating mine, puts ships in the area on notice of said mine so that they can take suitable evasive action.

On occasion a mine cable cutter may be accidentally actuated by the presence of underwater debris or the like, or by the accidental dragging of the cutter across the bottom of the water; such accidental actuation of the cutter will be signaled by the arrival of the flare at the surface and its ignition. It is therefore pointed out that the applicants invention not only gives a visible indication of the presence of a free-floating mine, but it also acts as a means for indicating that the cutter has been actuated.

Thus it can be seen that by the arrangement described above a means is provided for indicating, at night, either that a mine anchor cable has been cut, or at the very least that a mine cable cutter has been actuated and should be drawn back aboard the towing vessel and rearmed.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. it is therefore to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device comprising, a frame member, a combination anvil and hook member mounted on the frame in spaced, juxtaposed relation with one end of said frame, a cutter member movably mounted on said frame member and capable of movement in a line intersecting said combination anvil and hook member, means for forcibly driving said cutter member against said anvil upon the hooking of a mine cable, a buoyant indicating device so attached to said anvil as to be dislodged therefrom upon impact of said cutter member with said anvil when said cutter member is forcibly driven against the anvil.

2. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indicating device comprises a container having a hollow buoyancy chamber, and a second floodable chamber containing a self-ignitable material, adapted to ignite upon contact with both water and air.

3. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said buoyant indieating device is attached to the anvil by solder.

4. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said buoyant indicating device is attached to the anvil by adhesive material.

5. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device comprising a frame having a cutter member slidably mounted thereon, a combination hook and anvil attached to the forward end of said frame, a buoyant container attached to a forward face provided on said anvil, means for forcibly driving the cutter member against said anvil, whereby said cutter member is adapted to sever a mine anchor cable, said container being so attached to said anvil as to be dislodged therefrom by the striking of said anvil by the cutter member, whereby said container will be caused to surface, said buoyant container having therein signaling means adapted to be actuated upon the surfacing thereof.

6. A combination mine cable cutter and signaling device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the buoyant container comprises a buoyancy chamber and a compartment for containing said signaling means.

7. A combination mine cable cutter and signaling device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said compartment is floodable and contains chemical means adapted to ignite upon contact with both air and water, whereby said container will act as a flare upon reaching the surface.

8. A combination mine cable cutter and signaling device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said container is made of buoyant material and has a hollow compartment therein for containing said signaling means.

9. A combination mine cable cutter and signaling device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said hollow compartment is open to the atmosphere, and said signaling means comprises material that ignites upon contact with both air and water, thereby providing a flare means to indicate the actuation of said cable cutter.

10. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device comprising, a frame member, a cutting member mounted on said frame member, an anvil member on said frame, spaced from and justaposed to said cutting member, means for guiding a mine cable into the space between the cutting member and the anvil, means for forcibly bringing the cutting member and anvil into contact with one another, whereby a cable may be severed by said cutting member; an indicating means so attached to a part of said cable cutter as to be dislodged therefrom, upon contact between said cutting member and said anvil.

11. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the indicating means is attached to said anvil member.

12. The combination with a mine anchor-line cutter having an anvil and an explosively driven chisel, of a buoyant flare and means connecting the flare to said anvil, said means being separable from the anvil to release the flare when the chisel is driven against the anvil in cutting an anchor-line under water, and the flare containing a chemical that is sealed from water until said release of the flare and that is adapted when moistened to generate gas that will produce a flame on reaching the surface of the water.

13. The combination with a mine anchor-line cutter having an anvil and an explosively driven chisel, of a buoyant flare and means connecting the flare to said anvil, said means being separable from the anvil to release the flare when the chisel is driven against the anvil in cutting an anchor-line under water, and the flare containing a chemical that is adapted when moistened to generate gas that will produce a flame on reaching the surface of the water. 

1. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device comprising, a frame member, a combination anvil and hook member mounted on the frame in spaced, juxtaposed relation with one end of said frame, a cutter member movably mounted on said frame member and capable of movement in a line intersecting said combination anvil and hook member, means for forcibly driving said cutter member against said anvil upon the hooking of a mine cable, a buoyant indicating device so attached to said anvil as to be dislodged therefrom upon impact of said cutter member with said anvil when said cutter member is forcibly driven against the anvil.
 2. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device as set forth in claim 1, wherein the indicating device comprises a container having a hollow buoyancy chamber, and a second floodable chamber containing a self-ignitable material, adapted to ignite upon contact with both water and air.
 3. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said buoyant indicating device is attached to the anvil by solder.
 4. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said buoyant indicating device is attached to the anvil by adhesive material.
 5. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device comprising a frame having a cutter member slidably mounted thereon, a combination hook and anvil attached to the forward end of said frame, a buoyant container attached to a forward face provided on said anvil, means for forcibly driving the cutter member against said anvil, whereby said cutter member is adapted to sever a mine anchor cable, said container being so attached to said anvil as to be dislodged therefrom by the striking of said anvil by the cutter member, whereby said container will be caused to surface, said buoyant container having therein signaling means adapted to be actuated upon the surfacing thereof.
 6. A combinatiOn mine cable cutter and signaling device as set forth in claim 5, wherein the buoyant container comprises a buoyancy chamber and a compartment for containing said signaling means.
 7. A combination mine cable cutter and signaling device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said compartment is floodable and contains chemical means adapted to ignite upon contact with both air and water, whereby said container will act as a flare upon reaching the surface.
 8. A combination mine cable cutter and signaling device as set forth in claim 5, wherein said container is made of buoyant material and has a hollow compartment therein for containing said signaling means.
 9. A combination mine cable cutter and signaling device as set forth in claim 8, wherein said hollow compartment is open to the atmosphere, and said signaling means comprises material that ignites upon contact with both air and water, thereby providing a flare means to indicate the actuation of said cable cutter.
 10. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device comprising, a frame member, a cutting member mounted on said frame member, an anvil member on said frame, spaced from and justaposed to said cutting member, means for guiding a mine cable into the space between the cutting member and the anvil, means for forcibly bringing the cutting member and anvil into contact with one another, whereby a cable may be severed by said cutting member; an indicating means so attached to a part of said cable cutter as to be dislodged therefrom, upon contact between said cutting member and said anvil.
 11. A combination mine cable cutter and indicating device as set forth in claim 10, wherein the indicating means is attached to said anvil member.
 12. The combination with a mine anchor-line cutter having an anvil and an explosively driven chisel, of a buoyant flare and means connecting the flare to said anvil, said means being separable from the anvil to release the flare when the chisel is driven against the anvil in cutting an anchor-line under water, and the flare containing a chemical that is sealed from water until said release of the flare and that is adapted when moistened to generate gas that will produce a flame on reaching the surface of the water.
 13. The combination with a mine anchor-line cutter having an anvil and an explosively driven chisel, of a buoyant flare and means connecting the flare to said anvil, said means being separable from the anvil to release the flare when the chisel is driven against the anvil in cutting an anchor-line under water, and the flare containing a chemical that is adapted when moistened to generate gas that will produce a flame on reaching the surface of the water. 